It’s almost done.
The 2015 crops are in the bins … for the most part.
According to Saskatchewan’s Agriculture Ministry, 91 per cent of the provincial crop was now secured as of Oct. 12, and with another week of excellent harvest conditions to add to that timeline, it was pretty well certain that the harvest clean up work would be completed by the end of this week.
Warm and relatively dry weather allowed producers to get into the fields and complete the harvest operations.
Producers in the southwest were the furthest advanced heading into the third week in October, which was a traditional situation once again. By Oct. 12, the farmers in the southwest had 96 per cent of their crops combined and stored. Farmers in this region of the province were not far behind, at 95 per cent while nearly 90 per cent of the crops were harvested in the west-central and northwest regions. The east central sector was at 87 per cent by mid-month while the northeast producers had harvested about 83 per cent within that same time frame.
Ninety-five per cent of durum and 93 per cent of the barley crops were in the bins as was 91 per cent of the spring wheat crops and 89 per cent of the canola crops while 85 per cent of the soybean crops had been tucked away. Chickpeas, canary seed and flax crops trailed slightly behind as per expectations.
Topsoil moisture conditions across the province rated as 10 per cent surplus, 84 per cent adequate and five per cent short, heading into the post-harvest season. Hayland and pasture topsoil moisture conditions were rated as four per cent surplus and 83 per cent adequate and 11 per cent short going into the second half of October.
The strong winds that often topped 100 km/hr on Oct. 10 and 11, blew some swaths around and shelled out some standing crops.
Crop analysts across the province were rating this year’s efforts as average in terms of quality and volume compared with the five-year average.
Most livestock producers in the province indicated they now have adequate amounts of straw, greenfeed and feed grain to provide for their herds during the upcoming winter months.
